Weaning bit



y 22, 1952 J. L. HOBBY 2,604,069

WEANING BIT Filed oept. 27, 1950 2 Sl-1EETS-SHEET 1 2 Sl-IEETSSHEET 2 fnvenfiir' Ja mes L. Hob

J.- L. HOBBY July 22, 1952 WEANING BIT Filed Sept. 27, 1950 Patented July 22, 1952 UNITED; STATES e .lames L. Hobby, Nichols,.F la

Application September 27, ieaolfserial N's; 1237,0515 Q; U

. 1 v My invention relates to weaning bits, and more particularly to an improved [weaning bit fora calf of the type embodying agravity actuated valve.

An object of 'my invention is to improve the reliability of weaning bits, particularly adapted to the weaning of calves.' I

Further objects are'to' provide a calf weaning bit with a minimum of moving'parts, in which all moving "parts are enclosed within the bit itself, which may be rea'dily" disassembled for cleaning, and in which the valve or valves are not subject to malfunctioning as a resultof any of the usual activities or a calf which may, for example, bring various kinds of twigs, 'grass, grain orother foreign matter into the region'of the nose and mouth of the calf. 1 I

Hollow bits" have heretofore-been proposed comprising vents or apertures arranged to provide communication between the inside cavity of a calfs mouthand the outside atmosphere, thereby to prevent the buiding up of the suction within the mouth of the calf necessary to suckle from a mother cow. Unless provided'with selectively actuable valves, however, such a bitalso prevents the calf from drinking from a pail or trough. In view of this undesirable effect, proposals have been made to provide external valve'mean's arranged to close the'vent tothe atmosphere in response to the movement-of some external par'ts of the bit or of the bit holding means. Such external valve arrangements are subject to'mal- :functioning, however, because of theexposed position and Tcomplexity thereof.

It is accordingly an important objectlof my invention to provide a hollow weaning" bit comprising a simple, inexpensive construction withoutexposed moving partswhich "will reliably opcrate to prevent suckling and to permit drinking from a pail or trough; l

It is also an object'to provide a weaning bit comprising a vaIVe Which may be conveniently thoroughly protected by filtering means, andin which such means are readily replaceable.

The novelfeature's which I believe to be char acteristic of iny invention are set-forth with par-' ticularity in the appended claims. My? invention itself,. however; both 19.5 to its organization and method of operation, .togetherswith further objects and advantages thereof, may best beunderstood by reference to; the following description taken in ,connection'with the accompanying drawing in which Fig; .1 is a general view of a bit in accord with my invention in vpositionJin the mouth of a .calf; .Fig. .2 is an enlarged plan view of the bit taken .w'ith an uppe'rihalf removed; Fig. 3 is a partially. :sectional front view of the bit; Fig. 4 is a sectionalview on areduced scale taken along line 4-.4'of'1 'ig;2;showinga valve portion ofthe bitas it. appears-when the calfs 6 Claims. melanin-134i i 1 headis in position 'to attempt sucklingl"from'a cow; Fig. 5 is iii/sectional viewon a reduced scale also taken alongline 4 4 of Fi'g. 3-':showing1a' valve portion of the bit as it: appears: when-"the calfs headis in position to suck-milk'from a pail;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of"a'modifiedbit: in accord with-certain aspects of rny-invention; Fig. 71s a sectional'view of the modified bit of Fig.1-fi Fig. 8 is a front viewof themodified .bity and Figs. 9 and 10 are detail sectional view's of the modified bittaken-along'linezsll of Fig: '7- and lineIlJ-lll of Fig;iB;'irespectively. 3 Referring now to' Fig.- :1 "of the: drawings, the .bit comprises generallya bent hollow tube including a generally- -'cylindrical centralt'ori intermediate portion l adapted-to be disposed'througlmthe mouth of a calf 'The'central portion" :l-. lies preferably midway between: end portions 3 and 4 which areformed approximately'at rightangles to the central portionin The bit. is held in placeby a strap 5 extendingfover the back of the head and a secondstrap-B extending acrossthe bridge of the nose much in'the manner of a common bridle. Either or both .Str'aps may -be' provided with adjustingbuckles or' the" like. I .The straps are soconnectedto the bit by-ayring {for the head strap 5 :andiaringflB for the nosev strapt that the bit is firmly: held in the position in which theend portions 3 and- 4 extend upwardly toward the back of the head approximately parallel with the :mouth or withithe top of the bridge of the nose; This position of1-the-bit.,with reSpect'toihe headis such that in drinking fromiia pail? the head of the calf would assume a positionzsuch that the endportions 3 and "4- wouldextend-substantially vertically upwardly, ,and that at! tempting to suckle -themother 2 cow; the head would assume'a position in which the;end por-l tions' would extend-"more-- or less horizontallygqor downwardly from'ithe centrali portion. :gTheibit is formedpf. an upper'and-a-lower half; notinecess sarily "of exactly'equa'h size or: shap.e,'J-'hield:ito= gether by countersunk-bolts;9'. The upperqhalf carries a lug Ill at-each side suitably drilledlor 'apertured to hold ringB 'of'the'bridle andgalug 'H which cooperates with :an :additiona1a :;:lug formed iii'the'lower half at ea'ch side to hold ring' l of the bridlel': z i

Figu 2 is 'aplan view of the'bit .withithe; upper half removed to disclose the internal arrangement. Inside the bit are disposed a screen-12 positioned-to coveiranelongated aperture or'slot I3 locatedto open forwardly from-the center of the intermediateqp'ortion' I of the bit. {The slot l3 provides a path; for rairibetweenga central chamber :14 .of thejbit and the front part qf the mouth .cavity of :the calf; ;'.-.'I" B: Qh? 'm r I l-.11 bounded by partitions cornprisingebent sheet members? 15., and:. ;l 6-,; whi h-extend .cqm letel acrossethe central openingior b5 1 9f: .6 fill-bl i tll.

7 bit and which are seated in grooves 11 in the inner walls of the bit. ,Member l may be a metal sheet or plate bent or formed into a shape to provide transverse portions I8 and I9 extending laterally approximately half way across the inside of the bit, longitudinally displaced along the intermediate portion l, and connected bya platform 20 of roughly square or rectangular configuration. Approximately centered in the platform is a circular identation 2| extending toward 7 H the front of the bit and terminating'in a circular port or opening 22. closed and sealed by a ball 23 caged within the indentation 2| and prevented by the back wall of the bit body from falling out of the identation.

Plate and ball .23 thus cooperate to form-a complete partition across the tubular body. com

prising the gravity actuated ball check valve, wherebywhen the platform of the sheet member I5 is horizontal, or only slightly tilted from the horizontal, with the iden'tation 2| extending downwardlmtheball 23. will: roll intothe sealin position shown efiectively to isolate chamber M This port is adapted to be strate the valve operation. In Fig. 4 the bit is from the bore or opening 24 in the end portion 3 V of the bit' body, and when the platform 26 is tilted toward a vertical position, or a position with the indentation extending upwardly, the ball 23 will rollaw'ay from the sealing Position into the position indicated, 'for example, by

broken line 25, thereby to uncover the port 22.

Member'lfi, as shown'in-c'ross section, is simi larly shaped and arranged with a ball 26 toprovide opening and sealing, respectively, of the port 21 to control'the communication between chamber l4 andthe opening or bore 28'of the end portion 4 of the bit in correspondence with the action of ball 23 in connection with port 22. The open position of ball 26 is indicated by broken line 26'. V I

Screens 29 and 30 are arranged respectively to cover the open ends of the bit to prevent the entrance of'foreign solid matter into the open portions 24' and 28 which might interfere with the operation of the ball valves. Screens 29 and 30, as well as screen l2, may. be bound around the edges by. crimped metal strips 31, .32 and'33, respectively, to prevent unravelling when the bit is disassembled Torcleaning or other pur-' poses. W The lower half 'of the bit as shown in Fig. 2 further comprises several bosses 34 extendin upwardly"inside the bit to be drilled and tapped to receive "the threaded portions of the bolts provided tohold together the upper and lower =lugsof the upper half to hold the bridle head strap rings to the bit body.

As shown in the partially cutaway 'front View in 'Fig'. 3, the bitbody upper and lower halvesv fit togetherina lap joint 36'which extends'alor'ig the abutting edges of the halves. V Bolts 31 extend through bosses 38 of the top half and are threaded into the bosses 34 of the lower half to hold the halves together'to form the tubular body.

V The ball 23 is shown in position to seal port 22 in the platform 26 to isolate the central chamber from the end portion,- whereby air will not be drawn into" the chamber M from the end portion or through filter screen 29. Apart of the screen l2,which prevents ioreign'matter'from the calfsmouth from entering the chamber I4, is shown in this view. as are grooves 39, in' each half, in which the platform 20 is seated for posiin the'position which it assumes when the calf raises his nose, and in Fig. 5 in the position assumed when thenose is depressed as when drinking from a pail. Arrows 46 in Fig. 4 indicate the flow of air, when the calf attempts to suckle, in through the end portion of the bit, through the open port 21, and out through screen I2 into the oalfs mouth, not shown, while arrows 4lindicate the flow outside-or th bit but within'the mouth toward the calfs throat.

Fig. 4 further shows clearly the positions of lug l, of the-top half of the bit body. nd 1u 35. f the bottom half, positioned to hold the ends of ring 7 of the bridle, as well as lug l6 and a -portion. of the. ring flg -.This View also shows the groove 39 in which thefedee or the platform portion of the sheetmember havingport 2? is disposed. 75, Fi .5 is a'similarview of the .bit -difierihg from Fig. 401115172111 thatthe position. causes the ball 26 to be seated. As here shown, no, air may enter the calfs mouth: through screen ,-l2 since the ball 26 is seated, and the calf is, accordingly, permitted to suck airfor liquid from the front of his mouth toward his 'throati-n the' direction' of arrows 42 without breaking of the re: quired suction within themouth by the bit. o The bit may be readily disassembled for clean: ingor servicing by removing bolts 31 and by'de forming the preferrably resilient ringlromove the ends thereof from the bores or indentations' in the respective lugs and 35, as best seen in Fig.4. Upon separatingthe upper and lower halves, the screens maybe removed, as may the partition members and balls. "-Ifdesired, the ends ofrings 1 and 3 maybe removed atany time from their lugs by a slight opening .of the-rings, whereby the bridle straps may lie-replaced. It is who noted that, the straps,-, and to a certain extent the rings as well as the backwardly .extending end portions of the body; tend to maintain'the bitiagainstslipping to one side or the other ofthe calfs mouth. I

Figs; 6, 7, 8. 9. and 10 are directed to amodified bit construction, operative in a manner similar to that of the bit heretofore described but comprising a single ba11;:valve; a forwardly extending centralchamberisolable fromboth open ends by the singlejball valve. mesh or wool filtering and shielding-meansa shape difieringfrom that heretofore describedyand-differing incertain other. respects-as understood from the 'following description. z" j- 'Fig; 6 is: a perspective view. of themodihedbit wherein the enlarged andio'rwardlyextending valve housing and outlet "portion 43, preferable but not essentially at'or near the Center' o'f the bit, is arranged to be'disposed on top of the I turn, the nose strap 6 of the r with this modification is preie'rablyformed of front'and back halves or members, each of which may becast of a synthetic resin orfso-fcalled plastics material. These two halves ,are joined by a lapped,tongue-and-'groove or, simply, a butt joint 53, and are, of .'course, only approximately halves of the bit body and differ in shape. I

The internal construction" offthe bit is seen in the sectionalview of Fig.7. The forwardly .ex-

tending valve housing portion 43,: with front .op'enings44, contains a quantity of filtering material 54 which is preferably bronze, wool but may be a wool of other relatively non-tarnishing metal or a wool of vegetable or animal fibers or hairs, or the like. The purpose of the restricted openings 44 and the filtering materialis to prevent the entrance into theflb'it of any substances likely to clog the passages or to interfere with free operation of the valves. F

The portionof the valve housing :43 which contains the material, 54' compri'ses a, 'central or intermediate chamber communicatmg freely,

through the filtering material andfthe iiltering" or screening apertures, with the; .calfs mouth and isolable from the open ends of the bit in accord with the operation of a ball 55 in connection with a. valve seat .56..

The valve and partition assembly which separates the chamber containing'ma'te'rial 54 from the open ends of the bit comprises 'a sheet-metal member or plate 51 bolted by bolts 58 to a boss 59 formed about the rearward open'end of the isolable chamber, a washer 66 being interposed desired, completely to'close off the chamber at this end except. for theopening orport through the valve seat 56, and, of course, this port may be sealed by-the seated ball 55. At

and extending therethrough 'isa short tubular member 6| having a crimped or inwardly flanged forward end 62 against which a disc 63 of screen material is seated. The screen disc 63 is held in place by the resilient, hollow, generally cylindrical valve seat member of which the rearward end is beveled to form valve seat 56.

The ball 55 is so arranged in respect to the seat 56 and tubular member 6| that it will roll away from the seat when the apertures 44 extend either horizontally or upwardly, and will roll onto and seat against the valve seat when the apertures extend downwardly. The ball is of such size, and the tubular member 6! is so arranged with respect to the rear wall 64 of the bit body, that the ball is caged in the tubular member though free to roll away from the seat by a distance equal, approximately, to half the diameter of the ball.

The portions and 46 of the bit body each contain, in the hollow interior thereof, an inner screen member 65 and an outer or end screen member 66, each screen member being held in place by a suitable groove, as shown, or by bosses, in the interior wall of the bit body. Between the screens 65 and 66 is disposed a mass 61 of filter material similar to the material mass 54. Screens 65 and 66 serve not only a filtering and. shielding function but serve to retain the masses or nea'r the center'of the partition member 51 .valve.

' of apertures 44.

. *6 of material .61 in position to filter air entering from the ends of the bit and to prevent foreign objects or foreign matter from reaching the The forward and back halves or; portions of the bit, meeting at jo'int 53, are held together by'bolts. 68 which threa d into boss, 59. 'The removal of the bolt's 68,".' af ter removal of the bridle rings 49 and 56 of Fig. 6,; will permit access to the screens 65 and 66,- to the wool masses 61 between the screens, to the ball- 55,"and to the bolts 58. Removalfofboltsjii further permits access tothe wool mass 54and'to theinn'er ends The removed valve assembly may be further disassembledbypressing the screen 63 throughthe tubular member 6i" to push out the resilient valve seat, member. All parts may thus be inspected, cleaned repaired and replaced asjre uired. V p v Fig. 8 is a front viewofv the complete bit show:-

ing' the-general configuration thereof including the valve housing portion 43 the top of which is intended to. fit near or against the roof of the mouth, the portions 45 and 46 which extend through the lips atthe' sides of the mouth, and the downwardly curved end "portions 4'l 'and 48 which are opeh at'theeXtre'me ends. i L

Fig. 8' further disclosesthe': alnnerof mounting rings 49 and 56"for adjustment" along the portions 45 and 45 The two'endjs o'f each ring are 'disposjed tog'ether in-a selected one of several indentations 69*formet1' in the bit body As seen in Fig."8,"the rings are arranged fora mouth of middle widthfwhile two other indentations are provided for eachfring to permit the "spacing between rings to be increased orfdecreased for wider or'narrow mouths 'by se lecting indentations spaced fartherj apart or nearer together; Fig. '9 is :a'sectionalview-of the bit taken along line -99- of 'T'and illustrates' the shape of the valve housing portion 43.: =l3a11155is shown seated-with apertures extending downwardly intheposition assumed when' theicalfs head is lowered for 'drinkingifrom a 13311."; Since the tubular member. containing the valve seat member is cylindrical, as is the seati'member; and the screen, discito keep thefilterwool' 54 from'the valve seat and ball is circular, the view of this portion of the valve assembly is similar to that of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 further shows the joint 53 between the two body portions forming the bit body, as well as a portion of theboss 59 against which the platform member 5'! seats, with the heretofore described interposed gasket 66. Also seen in this figure is a portion of one of the screens 65, and the shape of the inner surface of the bit body beyond the portion 43 is indicated by a dotted line 10.

Fig. 10, taken along line III-40 of Fig. 8, shows bridle ring 50 of which the ends H and 12 are disposed in an indentation 69 in the bit body. The ring 50 is preferably of spring steel or other resilient metal to permit the ends H and 12 to be removed from the indentation by deforming the ring, whereby the bridle head strap 5| or nose strap 52 may be replaced or the ring moved to another indentation for adjustment to a aeoaoco of the ball valves of the bit in accord with Figs. 1-5. The resilient seat of the modified bit'has the advantage of providing more perfect sealing, while the latter construction may be less expensive to manufacture. The bit of Figs. 1-5 is generally simpler to construct, while the modifled arrangement is somewhat moreefficient in operation. It will be understood that certain features of the one may be incorporated in the other and that various other changes may be made Without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, since I have shown only certain preferred embodiments thereof. I therefore desire to have it understood that I intend, in the appended claims, to cover all such modificatipns as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention. 7 Y r 7 What I claim as newand desire to secure' by United States Letters Patent is:

1.- In a weaning bit comprising an elongated hollow body member having open ends and an intermediate portion; said intermediate portion of said member being provided with a forwardopening mouth aperture, a partitioning plate at said portion forming a chamber vented by said aperture, said plate having an aperture opening forwardly into said chamber, and acheck ball trapped behind said partitioning plate selectively to close said last aperture.

2. In a Weaning bit in accord with theimmediately preceding claim, a respective. mass of filtering material-betweensaid portion and each said end, and a mass of filtering material in said chamber interposed betweensaid apertures.

'3. In a weaning bit comprising a hollow barrel member open at an end, said member being provided with a forward-opening mouth aperture intermediate the ends of said barrel mem- .ber,*a partition in said barrel defining therein an outlet chamber and an inlet chamber, said outsaid means comprising sa d partition and a pe tion of the back of said barrel. 7 V

t 4'. In a weaning bit in accord with the imme diately preceding claim, a mass of filtering ma,- terial in said inlet chamber adjacent said open end and spaced from said trapping means, and a mass of filtering material in said outlet chamber adjacent said mouth aperture and spaced from said partition aperture.

in said barrel adjacent each .said' end, and masses of wool-like filtering material in said barrel and in said chamber disposed to protect both'sides of said valve from foreign matter.

6. A weaning bit'comprising an elongated hollow body open at the ends and having aforward-opening mouth aperture substantially midway between the ends, a forwardly apertured partition on each side of said first aperture Withsaid body respectively to separate said first aperture from said ends, each said partition comprising valve means for the aperture therein selectively to control communication through said let chamber being in direct communication with check ball. behind said partition, means loosely to trap said ball adjacent said partition aperture,

partitions, said ,means comprising check balls trapped behind said partitions.

, JAMES L. HOBBY.

REFERENCE- S error) The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

